Repeated 5* ratings from guests with terrible reviews

[Florence788]

Hi,

I am curious if there is manipulation of the  system going in here and if so how? There is a listing that has one absolutely terrible review followed by a good one,, followed by a bad one. The bad ones and the good ones all have 5* ratings. When I say bad reviews, I mean terrible…no water, cockroaches, rodents etc. I really can’t see someone writing about these things and then giving a 5*.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Florence788 How weird is that. I don't see how a host could manipulate the 5* element of the review unless they have someone in Airbnb able to edit it for them. Seems very unlikely to me!

Anyway I would hope guests read the reviews rather than just look at the rating and if they are as bad as you describe then surely people will not book the listing.

[Joelle43]

Hello @Florence788 

I think that the only way that the reviews could be manipulated would be if the host got friends to book the listing (paid them back) and then have them put in a 5* review because it seems completely implausible to have such a wide gap in the comments as you say, especially with other guests commenting on seeing rodents etc!!